Arby’s, Qdoba Mexican Grill join Kids LiveWell

The National Restaurant Association is marking the first anniversary of its Kids LiveWell initiative with three new participants — Arby’s Restaurants, Qdoba Mexican Grill and the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis.

The program and 104 member brands promote healthy menu choices for children. To join Kids LiveWell, restaurants agree to offer items that meet nutrition criteria, including the 2010 U.S. Department of Agriculture Dietary Guidelines.

“The industry’s positive response to customer demand is exciting to watch, and we look forward to what the next year will bring,” Dawn Sweeney, NRA president, said in a news release.

Arby’s brings more than 3,500 restaurants into the voluntary program, and Qdoba adds 600. The Indianapolis facility is the first museum to join. More than 29,000 sites participate in Kids LiveWell.

Brands and menu items are online. NRA partnered with Healthy Dining on the project. In May, a free smartphone app to locate participating restaurants was launched for download. It’s also at Android Market and iTunes.

“(We applaud) the participating restaurants’ commitment and their chefs’ innovations in developing creative menu options that appeal to the youngest diners’ taste buds, while maintaining sound nutrition,” Anita Jones-Mueller, president and founder of Healthy Dining, said in the release.

“We are impressed with the work that Kids LiveWell has done in the last year to promote healthful menu choices for children,” Karen Guido, vice president of marketing at Qdoba, said in the release.